The Diploma Supplement (DS) is a document attached to a higher education diploma with the aim of improving international transparency and facilitating the academic and professional recognition of qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates etc.). It is designed to provide information of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were successfully completed by the individual named on the original diploma to which this supplement is appended does not involve any value-judgements, equivalence statements or suggestions about recognition. It is a flexible non-prescriptive tool which saves time, money and workload. It is capable of adaptation to local needs.
The DS is produced by national institutions according to a template that has been developed by a Joint European Commission - Council of Europe - UNESCO working party that tested and refined it.
The Diploma Supplement consists of eight sections describing the items below:
- Information identifying the holder of the qualification,
- Information identifying the qualification
- Information on the level of the qualification
- Information on the learning outcomes and results gained
- Information on the function of the qualification
- Additional information
- Certification of the Diploma Supplement
- Information on the national higher education system